Folding chair seating



Sept. 2, 1969 A. L. VAN RYN 3,464,753

FOLDING CHAIR SEATING Filed Aug. 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FIG. 3 BYWM Jdtmv, 7 150 19,

. W ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1969 A. VAN RYN FOLDING CHAIR SEATING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30, 1967 INVENTOR Arthur L. VonRyn BY @wnww Jilin-1v, Fallbm ATTORNEYS United States Patent l U.S. Cl. 297232 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a sectional telescoping platform structure, uprights carry chair platforms with risers supported at the rear of each platform. Brackets are mounted at elevated positions on the risers and folding chairs have their rear legs pivotally mounted on the brackets, the front legs of the chairs being connected at their tops by cross arms to the rear legs and having their lower free end portions swingable outwardly to engage the platforms and thus support the chairs in use position. The chairs may be swung upwardly to render the platforms unobstructed throughout for sweeping or cleaning, and each chair may be folded upon itself and swung downwardly against the platform below to provide a compact structure occupying little space.

SUMMARY In seating for sectional telescoping plaform structures, there has long been a need for a compact folding chair which may be tilted upwardly to provide a free unobstructed platform surface for cleaning, while at the same time enabling each folding chair to be swung into a compact body occupying little space on the platform below.

The foregoing objects and results are achieved by the use of a riser supported at the rear of each platform by the platform itself or by the mast and providing brackets on the riser for supporting the rear legs of the chairs at an elevated position above the platform. By providing the pivotal support on the bracket forwardly of the riser, the chairs may be tilted rearwardly in a slight movement so as to entirely clear the platform below for cleaning, etc. Further, connecting means between the legs and the seat and back structure provide for automatic folding of the chair upon the platform below, while the elevated bracket allows the rear legs of the chair to move to a substantially horizontal position.

DRAWINGS In the illustration given in FIGS. 1-10 inclusive, FIG. 1 is a broken front view in elevation of chairs supported upon a platform in use position; FIG. 2, a side view in elevation, the platform being shown in section; FIG. 3, a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the chair tilted rearwardly to provide free space for cleaning the platform below; FIG. 4, a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the chair structure tilted rearwardly; FIG. 5, a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the chair folded forwardly into compact folded arrangement on the platform; FIG. 6, a side view in elevation of a section of telescoping platforms with the folding chair thereon in use position; FIG. 7, a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the sections in telescoped vertical arrangement and with the chairs in folded position; FIG. 8, a broken perspective view of a chair back and connections between the same and the rear leg and cross arm, the members being in open or use position; FIG. 9, a view similar to FIG. 8 but with the structure modified by the addition of a latch or noncollapsible finger; and FIG. 10, a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the chair parts in folded position.

Patented Sept. 2, 1969 DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the illustration given best in FIG. 5, a sectional telescoping platform structure is shown. In this structure, there are vertical masts or uprights 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10 each upright being provided with a separate base 11 and with rollers 12 therebelow. Each of the sections is narrower than the one to the right thereof so that the sections may be molded within each other to the compact arrangement shown in FIG. 7. At the top of each section, there are provided rails 13, and on the rails are mounted platforms 14.

To the rear of each platform is a vertical riser 15. The riser may be formed as a part of the platform 14 or it may be supported directly by any one of the uprights 10, 10a, etc. In the specific illustration given, I have shown the riser as a part of the platform 14 itself. Since the sectional telescoping platform structure is well known in the art, a further detailed description herein is believed unnecessary. It will be understood that the various mobile sections supporting the platforms 14 may be moved within each other to the compact position illustrated in FIG. 7.

Mounted upon the riser 15, as shown best in FIGS. 1-5, are spaced U-shaped brackets 16, and within each of the brackets is mounted the rear leg 17 of a telescop ing chair A. The front legs 18 of each chair are connected at their top to the rear legs 17 by a cross arm 19 which, in the illustration given, is in the shape of an inverted U. An arm rest 1912 may be mounted on the cross arm. The legs 17 and 18 are pivotally mounted within the cross arm structure 19 as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. The front legs 18 of each chair may be connected by a crossbar 20.

The front and rear legs of the chair on each side are pivotally connected by a lever 21, and a piVOt 22 through the forward leg also pivotally supports seats 23 so that the seats may be swung independently to raised and lowered positions, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The chair back 24 is provided with a U-shaped metal bracket 25 having secured thereto at its inner edge a guide bar 26. The bar 26 is connected by a pivot 27 at its upper edge to a bracket 28 forming an integral extension of the cross arm 19, as shown best in FIG. 8. At its lower end, the bar 26 is provided with an inclined extension 29 having therein an inclined slot 30. A guide pin 31 extends through the rear leg 17 and into the slot 30, as shown best in FIGS. 8 and 10.

If desired, a latch bar 32 may be pivotally connected to the bar 26, as shown in FIG. 9, the latch having at its lower end a concave opening 33 for engagement with the pivot pin 31 for the purpose of latching the chair to prevent collapse when in open or use position. For many uses, the latch pin 32 may not be needed and may be omitted from the structure.

OPERATION In the operation of the structure, with the chairs in use position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, when it is desired to clean the platforms, the chairs may be tilted to the position shown in FIG. 3 with a minimum of effort so as to provide clear and unobstructed platform areas therebelow. When it is desired to fold the chairs so that the platform sections may be telescoped as shown in FIG. 7, the chairs may be swung upwardly into the aligned position shown in FIG. 10 and the folded structure dropped under its own weight to the compact position shown in FIG. 5. The elevated position of the rear leg, as shown in FIG. 5, is effective in holding the chair structure during the movement of the sections and cooperates with the remaining parts of the chair in providing a folded body of uniform height.

When the telescoping sections are expanded to the position shown in FIG. 6 and it is desired to open the chairs to use position, this may be accomplished by simply raising the chair or chairs and drawing the front legs forwardly, as shown in FIG. 1. In the latter operation, the lever connections between the rear and front legs and the back automatically move the parts to the use position shown in FIG. 1.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth specific structures in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the invention, such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a sectional telescoping platform structure in which uprights carry platforms and a riser is supported at the rear of each platform, a pair of spaced brackets mounted on said riser, and a seat and back-equipped folding chair having rear legs pivotally mounted on said brackets, front legs adapted to rest freely on the platform in front of said riser, and cross arms on each side of the chair pivotally connecting the front and rear legs, the back of the chair being equipped with a bar having an inclined slot therein, at least one of the cross arms being provided at its rear with a bracket extension pivotally connected to the top of said bar, the rear leg connected to said one cross arm being provided with a guide pin engaging said inclined slot.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which a latch pin is pivotally mounted upon said bar and is provided with a notch engageable with said guide pin to latch said chair in an open position.

3. A folding chair having a back, a seat, front and rear legs, and a cross arm on each side of the chair pivotally connecting the front and rear legs, a bar having an inclined slot secured to a side of the chair, said slot extending downwardly and inwardly, at least one of the rear legs being provided with a guide pin engaging said inclined slot.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which a lever is pivotally connected to the front and rear legs at an inclination for moving said legs into parallel position during the folding of the chair and for elevating the front legs of the chair.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,817,122 12/1957 Walworth 297243 X 3,025,106 3/1962 Evans et al 529 X 3,194,601 7/1965 Hoven et al 297-248 X 3,316,014 4/1967 Barecki 297-243 X FOREIGN PATENTS 23 8,087 4/ 1962 Australia.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 529; 297-47 *ggg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,464,753 Dated September 2, 1969 Inven 0 Arthur L- Van Rvn It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Column 2 line 8, "molded" sh0uld be changed to "folded \HUN'ED ANN SEN H? DEC 2 3 1959' (SEAL) Atteet:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. mu E. SGHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

